The Cooperative Development Authority Region III Extension Office, under the leadership of Regional Director Marieta P. Hwang, thru the Legal Section, organized a Legal Forum for Cooperatives on November 7, 2024, at Bayanihan St. John Multipurpose Cooperative, Bocaue, Bulacan. The event was participated by 21 cooperative leaders and representatives from various parts of Bulacan, as well as key representatives from the Bulacan Provincial Cooperative and Enterprise Development Office (PCEDO) and Bocaue’s Municipal Cooperative Development Council (MCDC).
The forum aimed to equip the cooperative members/officers across the province of Bulacan with proper knowledge on the procedures of availing the one-time grant of amnesty, and conducting conciliation and mediation to enhance the efficiency, professionalism, and sustainability of their respective cooperatives. It also served as a platform for the participants to share their cooperative’s best practices, address the pressing issues they are experiencing, and outline future directions for their legal concerns.
Ms. Ana Liza Hernandez, Municipal Cooperative Development Officer – Bocaue MCDC, commenced the activity with her welcoming remarks. Ms. Hernandez highlighted the objectives of the activity, and reiterated the importance of collaboration, and the role of cooperatives in fostering community development. She further encouraged the attendees to actively participate to enhance their learning experience.
The lecture proper started with a comprehensive discussion on the conciliation-mediation procedure. Atty. Macy N. Marcelo, Attorney III – Legal Section, encouraged the participants to engage in conciliation-mediation in handling their issues within the cooperative to preserve the harmonious relationship among members and officers. In her discussion, Atty. Marcelo highlighted the nature and procedures of mediation and conciliation, emphasizing the uniqueness between the two processes.
Atty. Marcelo reiterated that mediation, an alternative form of dispute resolution, involves an unbiased third-party mediator who facilitates the discussion to help both parties come to agreements. On the other hand, the third party on conciliation plays an advisory role and may intervene in order to offer feasible solutions to both parties and help settle their disputes.
To complement the discussion Atty. Marcelo, Ms. Diane Balleza, and a representative from the participants performed a simulation of the mediation process. The participant was asked to mediate between Ms. Diane Balleza, complainant, and Atty. Marcelo, respondent. After the group presentation, Atty, Marcelo commended the participant’s performance and gave her feedback and advise to improve her mediation skills.
Atty. Marcelo also entertained questions from the participants to address specific concerns among their cooperatives that may be resolved through conciliation-mediation.
The program was concluded with the awarding of certificate of appreciation to Atty. Macy Marcelo. The participants also received a certificate of completion.
After the forum, Atty. Marcelo, with Ms. Balleza and Ms.Jilian Lorraine Santos of PCEDO, assisted the non-compliant cooperatives who wishes to apply for the Authority’s amnesty program.
